Child Soldiers in Libya

1. Child Soldiers in Libya By Clare, Zoe, and Alex

2. Area of Slavery: Libya http://www.lonelyplanet.com/maps/africa/libya/

3. Murad, 16, lost his leg fighting in Libya’s front line. http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2014236/Libya-Children-young-7-trained-fight-Gaddafi.html

4. A Libyan boy cleaning his gun. Children as young as 7 are being recruited into wars in Libya. http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2014236/Libya-Children-young-7-trained-fight-Gaddafi.html

5. Organizations Combating Child Soldiers • Unicef called a conference with the Government of Chad to get other countries to end the recruitment of child soldiers. • Countries that attended were Chad, Central African Republic, Cameroon, Sudan, Nigeria, Niger and Libya • Unicef not trying to finalize a certain plan for Libya and child soldiers

6. More Groups Against Child Soldiers • United Nations closely watching the child soldier situation in Libya • The UN is reminding the Libyan Government of the laws and morality of protecting the children from being involved in warfare • UN doesn’t seem to be initiating solid action plan either

7. What Causes Children to Become Soldiers? • Armed conflicts are occurring and children are being used to fight in the wars. • Poverty intensifies the situation. • All the surrounding countries in the area have borders that are hard to monitor so vulnerable children are easily recruited • Lack of education and livelihood increases the risk of recruitment for children • Most recruitments take place in rural areas where clan cultures dominate • Lack of authority, authority is initiating recruitment

8. LRA • The Lord’s Resistance Army, or LRA, is a group with a mix of Christian and native African beliefs. • They were engaged in a revolution up through 2007. • The LRA makes heavy use of child soldiers, abducting them from villages throughout Africa.

9. Why use Child Soldiers? • Child Soldiers are used throughout the world for a number of reasons: • Children can be bought off with offerings of electronics and money • Children have more energy than adults • Children often don’t have as developed senses of morality as adults do

10. Child Soldiers are Illegal • Soldiers of the ages 16-18 are legal, but scorned. • Having soldiers younger than that is illegal, and is an international criminal offense. • Despite these laws, there is not real law enforcement to prevent it from happening

11. Libya: Political Back Story Muammar Gaddafi, the general and political leader of Libya for 41 years after seizing power in a military coup, dictated Libya and was involved in multiple terrorist -linked incidents, including 1988’s Lockerbie Bombing. Gaddafi involved in terrorism

12. Libyan Opposition Emerges “The demands of the Libyan people began much like those of their neighbors in North Africa and the Middle East--for the protection of their universal rights, for greater political freedom and representative government, for justice and opportunity. But the response of Gaddafi and those still loyal to him stood in stark contrast to the inspiring events of what some called the Arab spring. Gaddafi unleashed a merciless campaign of violence against the Libyan people, including civilian noncombatants, using every tool at his disposal, from artillery barrages, to airstrikes, to the employment of foreign mercenaries.” http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/world/war/libya-civil-war.htm • Libyan Rebels Want: • Universal Rights • Greater political freedom • Representative government • Justice • Opportunity

13. Nato gets involved • The North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) becomes involved in the Libyan tension when Gaddafi threatens opposition to death • NATO and the Libyan National Transitional Council (NTC) partnered together to end the injustice caused by Gaddafi • At the end of the Libyan Civil War, NATO supports the NTC’s constitutional declaration in August 2011

14. By early 2011, Libyan protestors began anti-government demonstrations, organized by activists who rallied by social media. They met in the second largest city in Libya, Benghazi, where they clashed with police and the first of many fatalities began. In February 2011, Gaddafi threatened his opponents with death and reversal of advances of rebel groups to counter their stronghold, initiating response from NATO. From February to September, Gaddafi’s control over Libya quickly dissipated after rebel groups began opposing the dictator’s power.

15. Libyan GLOBAL REPORT 2008

16. CHILD SOLDIERS IN LIBYA • Many child soldiers were forced to take part in combat in the governmentally organized army when Gaddafi’s troops began to die and bodies were needed on his side Recruitment of young people

17. Libya child soldier stats Recruitment ages for voluntary and compulsory services are 18 People younger than minimum age of conscription are involved in armed forces

18. Libyans rejoice Libyans rejoice in the streets of Libya after Gaddafi was killed last week on October 20, 2011. They are finally free from the injustice they endured for around 42 years.

19. HOW TO TAKE ACTION Multiple Steps are needed to combat child soldiers in Libya; through these four steps, the problem should quickly diminish: 1. Raising Awareness 2. Education 3. Government stability with gradual independence from international organizations 4. Sustainability within Libya and prevention

20. STEP ONE: raising awareness • Now that Gaddafi died, the demand in Libya for child soldiers will decline steadily, though the change will not happen overnight • Many national organizations like Unicef and Nato can help spread awareness by writing articles, publishing news stories, and linking up with BBC for broadcasting radio pieces talking about child soldiers

21. STEP TWO: education • The public needs to be educated about the effects of child soldiers and what they endure on a day to day basis • During rehabilitation for saved child soldiers, education needs to be a key part in helping them achieve a different lifestyle and come back to a successful life of job opportunities and knowledge • Education for children should be available as well as other resources to encourage them not to give in to joining the militia, though this will require the government stepping up to help this happen

22. STEP THREE: Government stability with gradual independence from international organizations • Nato and Unicef can help support Libya in their post civil war state of disarray by economically helping, supporting their movement to more democratic government, and helping to rehabilitate victims of war, including child soldiers • As Libya builds culturally, economically, and politically more independent, local organizations can start partnering with the government and Nato and Unicef can retreat • More organizations should step in to prevent child soldiers being recruited by trying to pass laws and raise awareness instead of simply warning Libya of what is going on

23. STEP FOUR: Sustainability within Libya and prevention • As Libya develops political and economic stability, the government should increase job opportunity so vulnerability of being trafficked is lower • A self sustained country will be easy to maintain if there is an effective leader who keeps a balance of power and listens to the community • Economic prosperity will come with justice and job productivity. With fair wages and real opportunities, the wealth of Libya will continue to grow as they become more independent

24. Works Cited Sherlock, Ruth. "Child Soldiers sent by Gaddafi to Fight Libyan Rebels."Channel 4 News. N.p., 23 Apr. 2011. Web. 20 Oct. 2011. www.channel4.com/news/child-soldiers-sent-by-gaddafi-to-fight-libyan-rebels "Libya: Children as young as 7 being trained to fight against Gaddafi | Mail Online." Home | Mail Online. N.p., 13 July 2011. Web. 10 Oct. 2011. http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2014236/Libya-Children-young-7-trained-fight-Gaddafi.html "Worst Forms of Child Labor Data."Global March. N.p., n.d. Web. 20 Oct. 2011. www.globalmarch.org/worstformsreport/world/libya.html/ "Trafficking in Persons." Central Intelligence Agency. N.p., n.d. Web. 20 Oct. 2011. https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/fields/2196.html "General Assembly Launches Global Plan of Action Against Trafficking in Persons." United Nations. N.p., n.d. Web. 20 Oct. 2011. www.un.org/News/Press/docs/2010/ga10974.doc.htm "Press Release - Children and Armed Conflict." Welcome to the United Nations: It's Your World. N.p., n.d. Web. 25 Oct. 2011. http://www.un.org/children/conflict/english/pr/2011-03-09255.html BBC. Map of Libya. N.d. Map of Libya, Libya. Lonely Planet. Web. 23 Oct. 2011. New York Times. "The Perfect Weapon for the Meanest War." New York Times. New York Times, 29 Apr. 2007. Web. 26 Oct. 2011. http://graphics8.nytimes.com/images/2007/04/29/weekinreview/29gett_CA0.190.jpg "LRA Crisis Tracker." LRA Crisis Tracker. Invisible Children + Resolve, n.d. Web. 26 Oct. 2011. www.lracrisistracker.com/ "Children and Human Rights." Amnesty International. N.p., n.d. Web. 26 Oct. 2011. www.amnesty.org/en/children "Children in Conflict: Child Soldiers ." SOS Children's Villages. N.p., n.d. Web. 26 Oct. 2011. www.child-soldier.org/